Kirk Franklin Previews Double Album 'I Am What I Am' at Atlanta Listening Session

Kirk Franklin held an exclusive listening session in Atlanta on October 12, 2026, to preview his fourteenth studio album, I Am What I Am, ahead of its October 30 release. The double album is his first, combining seven studio recordings with a series of live performances recorded in a church setting.

Franklin told attendees the album is a response to decades of public scrutiny and an exploration of his own humanity, including personal battles with anxiety and depression. He said he wanted to avoid what he called the creative hell of producing music that does not reflect his true self.

The project blends traditional gospel roots with contemporary influences. Collaborators include Jelly Roll, TobyMac, Isaac Carree, GloRilla, and Davido. The studio portion includes This Time, featuring GloRilla, which interpolates Mandrill's Children Of The Sun, and It Gets Better, featuring TobyMac, which focuses on mental health.

The live recordings include Thank You For Everything featuring Karen Clark Sheard, It Is Well featuring Isaac Carree, and several other tracks recorded in a church environment.

Franklin said the album explores a range of sonic styles, from Afrobeats-inspired production in Hope in You featuring Davido to traditional Church of God in Christ and Pentecostal worship styles featuring horns and organs.

He encouraged emerging artists to prioritize authenticity over chasing trends, a philosophy he applied throughout the creation of this project.

The album will be released through Fo Yo Soul Recordings and TRIBL Music Group, under an exclusive license to Uptown Records, a division of UMG Recordings, Inc.